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Space shuttle orbiter
You might also be looking for the article on shuttlecraft. Space shuttle is a term referring to the 20th and 21st century space vehicle operated from Earth. The program was begun by the NASA agency of the United States. ''Enterprise'' type 's drawing of Orbiter 101.]] The ''Enterprise'' (OV-101) was the prototype orbiter for the space shuttle system. The launch system used by the first vessels constructed of this model consisted of an orbiter vehicle, an external liftoff tank, and two rocket boosters. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) List of orbiters NASA's first series of orbiters have been honored by having several future starships named for them. (listed in order built) * ''Enterprise'' (OV-101) -- [[Enterprise|Starships Enterprise]] * Columbia (OV-102) -- [[Columbia|Starships Columbia]] * Challenger (OV-099) -- [[USS Challenger|Starships Challenger]] * Discovery (OV-103) * Atlantis (OV-104) * Endeavour (OV-105) -- [[USS Endeavour|Starships Endeavour]] ::There is some speculation that the Starships of the NX class will follow a naming pattern similar to that of the shuttles. NX-01 is Enterprise, NX-02 is Columbia, NX-03 may be Challenger, etc. Enterprise (OV-101) was only a glide-test prototype, and did not carry functioning engines or heat shields. It has not flown since the early 1980s and is now a museum piece, apparently at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's annex at Washington Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Virginia. Columbia (OV-102) was the first shuttle to go into space. Its design was slightly different to subsequent shuttles, limiting its ability to reach higher altitudes. It could not, for example, reach the International Space Station. The Columbia was destroyed on February 1, 2003, during re-entry. The entire crew of 7 were killed, and all shuttle flights have been suspended, pending the safety redesigns due to be ready (at the time of writing) by July 2005. Challenger (OV-099) was a refit of a static ground test vehicle with a lower number designation, converted for operational use. It was destroyed on launch on 28 January 1986, when one of its solid rocket boosters exploded. The entire crew of 7 (including a civilian school teacher, Christa McAuliffe) were killed, and all shuttle flights were suspended until September 28 1988. Discovery (OV-103) and Atlantis (OV-104) have had relatively unremarkable careers thus far. Discovery was the first shuttle to launch again after the Challenger accident, and is also due to be the first to launch following the Columbia accident. At the time of writing, that launch was currently scheduled (after repeated safety-related delays) for mid-July 2005. Endeavour (OV-105) was the last shuttle built, and was intended to replace the lost Challenger. A full-sized steel shuttle mock-up, useful only for practising ground handling techniques, was also built. It was later named Pathfinder and given the unofficial designation OV-098. This is apparently now mounted on display in Huntsville, Alabama. No shuttle is to be built to replace the Columbia, and Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour will bear the brunt of NASA's manned space operations (primarily ferry flights up to the ISS) until about 2010, when its replacement is planned to enter service. OV-165 type The space shuttle registered as OV-165 was a later type of shuttle used by humans. (Star Trek: Enterprise) :This vessel was seen in the opening titles of the ''Enterprise series, and resembles futuristic concepts actually created as possible designs for the "next" space shuttle design.'' See also: shuttlecraft, Federation shuttlecraft